As you plan your landscape, don't overlook one of the best design resources -- the local xeriscape demonstration gardens. They provide practical, first-hand examples of plants and plant combinations, and many gardens have signage or tours available that identify the plants.

Many of the gardens also have shady places to enjoy a picnic lunch, so plan to spend some time exploring and enjoying the surroundings as you build ideas for your home landscape.

Visit again as the seasons change to get an idea of how the plants look at different times of the year.

Avondale Demonstration Garden

11465 West Civic Center Drive

Avondale, Arizona 85323

Phone: (623) 478-3373

The Avondale Xeriscape Demonstration Garden is located outside of the City Hall building. The garden demonstrates the utilization of low-water-use trees, shrubs, and ground covers. The garden is over 25,000 square feet and contains over 900 plants.

Chandler's Xeriscape Garden is a functional, user-friendly demonstration space with mature low water use trees, shrubs and plants originally installed in 1987. A recent remodel added additional plants and signs. Changes in grading help to reduce erosion and also highlight passive water harvesting techniques through the installation of berms and swales. Artist Juanita Hull-Carlson worked with 5th and 6th grade students to create the artworks on display.

This shady, inviting garden features more than fifty species of plants that not only survive on very little water but also are attractive to hummingbirds and other wildlife. The Hummingbird Habitat is part of Desert Rivers Audubon's Bird Habitat Recognition program.

Veterans Oasis Park covers 113 acres and feature both lush wetland and arid habitat suitable for the diverse plants and wildlife of the Sonoran Desert. This "non-traditional" facility capitalizes on the divergent and plentiful outdoor recreation opportunities at the site created by the park land, lake, and wetlands/groundwater recharge basins. The shallow basins infiltrate high quality reclaimed water to the subsurface aquifer for storage and recovery as part of the City's comprehensive reclaimed water management plan. The park also includes 4.5 miles of trails, wildlife viewing areas; ramadas and picnic areas; a butterfly and hummingbird habitat; an outdoor amphitheater; a unique, learning-oriented playground; a 5-acre community fishing lake; a Solar System Walk; equestrian trails; and interpretive signs and exhibits.

The Gilbert Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch was opened in 1999. While the Preserve's primary purpose is to recharge 1.4 billion gallons of treated reclaimed water into the aquifer every year, the facility was also designed as a 110-acre park where the public can enjoy a wide variety of recreational activities. A highlight of the Preserve is the many bird species that can be found there. It has been officially recognized by the Audubon Society, creating a true gem in the Sonoran Desert.

The 4-acre xeriscape garden surrounds the Glendale Main Library and has themed-gardens, including the Cactus Garden, Rain Garden, Tree Trail, and Habitat Garden. The award-winning garden contains over 400 species of desert-adapted plants. By walking the garden paths, you'll see plants at their mature size, find examples of good plant combinations, and discover ideas for your landscape. Signs identify many of the plants and there is a free audio tour available. It is recommended you bring a note pad and pen to write down names of plants you would like in your yard. There is no cost to walk through the garden, and it is open to the public every day of the year from sunrise to sunset.

Peoria's Desert Fusion Garden is an award-winning garden certified as a Natural Wildlife Habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. Five separate areas were designed to encourage people to rethink preconceived ideas of what low-water-use landscaping looks like, ultimately helping citizens understand what Xeriscape is and is not. The Garden reveals that color, dimension, creativity, and even turf can work harmoniously together to create a beautiful low-water-use landscape.

The Desert Botanical Garden is one of the world's renowned botanical gardens, hosting more than a thousand different cacti and other unusual plants from the arid lands of the world, growing on 140 acres amidst a beautiful natural desert setting. The Garden has expert staff, numerous workshops, and many resources to assist you with your landscape projects. The Garden's many docents are happy to answer questions and conduct regular tours of the garden. Visit the website for upcoming events, including the not-to-be-missed bi-annual plant sale.

Cared for by Maricopa County Master Gardeners, this mature garden features desert adapted plants, extensive vegetable gardens, a comprehensive herb garden cared for by the Arizona Herb Association, rose garden and turf examples. The garden is open during daylight hours.

Hidden from the street, this expansive 5.5-acre garden is nestled behind the dog park and baseball fields of Chaparral Park and is open for self-guided walking tours during regular park hours. Visitors can learn about desert-friendly landscaping and see plants that are both beautiful and water thrifty. Follow the main path through the garden to Terraced Cascade, the stunning environmental art piece by Lorna Jordan.

The Arboretum brings together plants from deserts and dry lands across the world and displays them alongside unspoiled examples of the native Sonoran Desert vegetation. Find inspiration in the in the low water use Demonstration Garden, rest in the shade of the towering trees in Queen Creek Canyon, and take in the expansive southwestern vistas from the High Trail. No matter the season, you will enjoy a memorable experience among a remarkable variety of arid plants in a unique desert setting.

Located at Tempe Woman's Club Park, this xeriscape garden highlights both Sonoran and Mediterranean plant palettes and provides practical ideas for backyards and workplaces. The garden also features an area that attracts hummingbirds.

The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is regularly listed as one of the top ten zoological parks in the world. Focused on the conservation of the Sonoran Desert region, the Museum encompasses 21 interpreted acres with two miles of walking paths through various desert habitats. It houses 230 animal species, 1,200 types of plants, and one of the world's most extensive mineral collections. A fantastic place to explore the plants, animals, and habitats native to our unique and amazing desert.

Nestled into Tohono Chul's 49 acres of natural Tucson desert are multiple distinct botanical gardens. Easy to traverse and handicap accessible paths meander throughout the grounds. The Demonstration Garden presents many ideas for creating a desert oasis at your home using native plants and local materials. The Hummingbird Garden hosts both resident and visiting hummers and showcases the plants that draw them.

The Tucson Botanical Gardens is a tranquil oasis in the heart of Tucson. It features a host of themed gardens, workshops, tours, and, of course, a wealth of inspiration. Bring the little ones for the children's garden, browse the interactive touch carts, familiarize yourself with desert adapted plants, and experience one of the best butterfly houses in the country.